


chasing down a daydream

by orphan_account



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Family, Gen, Tangled AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-06-30 13:44:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19854409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Stop her! The girl in the purple,” a guard yelled.“It’s eggplant, you bastards!”Stephanie steals a crown then finds a girl in a tower. Nice. Right?OR: tangled but stephcass





	1. the usual morning lineup

Gotham was never a traditional kingdom. 

Before a castle stood, the territory was in the midst of a power struggle. The land was a breeding ground for crime and corruption. Peace was finally found when the Wayne family rose to power. Decades of stability and leadership gave way to a prospering kingdom. But not everything could be fixed. Evil has a way of staining hearts. 

The assassination of King Thomas and Queen Martha left a son seemingly afraid of family. Crown Prince Bruce became distant. He traveled across kingdoms, growing into a fine young man and adept leader, but never took a wife. 

After one of his many off-continent ventures, he returned with a boy. A son, he proclaimed. Not his by blood but his all the same. As the years passed, King Bruce made a family of those who had lost theirs.

When Stephanie Brown was little, she would play make believe. She imagined a world where King Bruce would find her and whisk her off the streets, turning her into a princess like he did with his second son. Then, she would remember her parents. She could care less for her father, but her mom? She would do anything for her. So, her dreams transformed. Maybe the king could marry her mother. Anything could happen in the mind of a child.

But the world forced Stephanie to grow up too quickly. Shady deals and debt lead to the death of her father. Her mom became addicted to herbal drinks from so-called “traveling-sorcerers.” Stephanie had to find a way to support her family. A couple rash decisions and a desperate need for quick cash steered Stephanie off the straight path. 

That’s how, at nearly nineteen, Stephanie found herself on the roof of the castle a few hours before sunrise. 

Back pressed against a tower wall, Steph shimmied right until she reached the third window. She peaked her head up and forced the window open. Noticing a guard at the far end of the hall, she sank below the window to wait. 

When the sound of footsteps got louder, Steph leaped into the building. Startling the guard, she kicked his feet out from under him. He fell to the ground and Steph jumped on top of him. With a knee pressed into his diaphragm, she was able to pull two long strips of cloth out of her satchel. Quickly maneuvering his hands above his head, she tied them to the pillar then gagged him. 

“Not bad,” Stephanie said to herself, hands on her hips has she admired her handy work. 

Not wanting to waste more time, Steph continued down the corridor and down some winding stairs. She followed the mental map she made while posing as a castle maid for the past month. She encountered a few more guards but managed to doge them. Someone must have found the tied-up man, sending the guards rushing to the upper floors. 

Eventually, Stephanie reached the main atrium. Through the imposing center doors laid her target. All that stood between her and enough gold to keep her family happy was one measly guard.

“Hey bootlicker, don’t you have a family to get back to or something?” Stephanie called, emerging from the shadows. 

The guard jumped. He tightened the grip on his spear and shouted, “Freeze!”

Stephanie raised an eyebrow and continued to approach.

“Chill, man,” she said. “I need something in that room behind you, and you really don’t want to get in my way.”

“Intruder! In the front hall!” He hollered, voice echoing through the castle.

Stephanie sighed before rushing the guard. Easily disarming him, she brought her knee to his chest then her fist to his face. He dropped to the ground. She hopped over his body and ran through the great double doors before her. 

At the far end of the room sat two thrones. Between them, a crown made of gold with black and blue gems. 

Stephanie left out a breathy laugh as she approached her prize. Months of planning and training for the ultimate job: secure the crown of Gotham's Queen. No one would miss it, there hadn't been a queen or princess in over a decade.

At first, her hands hovered over the crown as if it would burn her plebeian skin. Then, she let her fingers trail the cool, metal rim, remembering childhood daydreams of Princess Steph. Grasping the crown in both hands, she lifted directly in front of her eyes. After a moment, she slowly raised it, bringing it closer to her head.

Pounding footsteps and a shout of “In there!” startled Stephanie out of her daze. She quickly shoved the crown into her satchel then jumped through the stained-glass window behind the thrones. The loud shattering of glass caused the guards to quicken their pace.

Now in the back courtyard, Steph ran for the east wall. Behind it, a horse (totally not stolen, by the way) waited to take off into the nearby woods. Steph could lose the guards before sunrise. 

“Stop her! The girl in the purple,” a guard yelled.

“It’s eggplant, you bastards!” Steph shouted in return, scaling the wall.

She threw herself over in a haste, landing a bit roughly and with an audible ‘oof.’ 

The horse, waiting patiently to the side, let out a nicker. Stephanie gave his neck a quick rub.

“Hey boy,” she said softly. “Let’s bail.”

Leaping atop the horse, Stephanie grasped the reigns and darted off to the woods. She could hear commotion of guards in the courtyard as well as the distant gallop of palace horses. Steph leaned forward, urging her horse to run faster. 

Average citizens only had a vague knowledge of the forest on the edge of the kingdom. As claim to the territory was disputed between Gotham and the Blüdhaven, most people stayed clear of the woods. Stephanie had quickly studied the few maps of the land. It gave her an advantage over the palace guards, but still left her vulnerable to criminals. Well, criminals worse than her. 

With the distant stomp of her pursuers growing louder, Stephanie began to panic a little. She made the decision to circle back through a denser part of the forest to lose the guards. Unfortunately, this was an area not on any maps she reviewed.

The gallop of palace horses faded, but Stephanie found herself at the edge of a plateau she could not take her horse down.

“I'm sorry, baby,” Steph cooed, patting the horse before jumping off him.

"The guards will find you, I promise," she said. Taking a deep breathe, Stephanie slide down the plateau's edge. 

Not knowing this area at all, she wandered at a slow pace. Just as the sun began to rise, Stephanie heard the rush of flowing water. She followed it. The sound led her to a wall of vines. She approached and cautiously moved them out of the way.

“Whoa…” Stephanie felt her eyes widen. “What is this doing here?”

Behind the vines stood a lone, gothic tower next to a rushing waterfall and crystal clear lake. Stephanie sauntered forward, allowing herself to scoop some water into her hands and drink. Then, she went to examine the tower.

The architecture matched that of the Kingdom of Gotham, but lack of care gave way to crumbling bricks and fading color. Stephanie's hand trailed the rough stone, noting patches of moss that grew up the tower. After circling the tower twice, she realized there was no entry point besides a window 50 feet up. 

“I’m climbing this tower,” she said to herself. “There’s no way I could just _not_ climb this tower.” 

Stephanie dug through her satchel to retrieve the gear she used to scale the castle.

Despite previously being exhausted, Steph made quick work. Curiosity propelled her up the side of the tower. Stephanie hoisted herself through the window. Landing on a cold stone floor, she looked around. 

Oddly, the place seemed well lived in. Various string instruments rested against one wall with dancing shoes next to them. The opposite wall was lined with a multitude of weapons, some of which she couldn't even name.

Steph swore she saw a trail of shimmering black hair, but before she could turn around, she felt a sharp pain between her shoulder and her neck. Everything went dark.

***

Stephanie came to with the sensation of fingers lifting her upper lip and pushing on her gums. She let out a squeal and tried to move backwards but found herself bound to a chair. Fully conscious now, Steph took in her surroundings. 

She was still in the tower. Her arms and legs were securely fastened to a chair in the middle of the room. Inches from her face, a young woman squatted in front of her.

Her eyes narrowed as she inspected Stephanie. Long black hair pooled at her feet. Notably, her fingers were still touching Steph’s teeth. 

“Wha’ are ya’ doin’?” Stephanie struggled to say with hands in her mouth. 

The dark haired woman dropped her hands and stepped back. 

Lifting a hand to her own mouth, she said, “Normal. Like… mine.”

“Right, whatever that means,” Stephanie muttered and tugged against her bonds. 

“Struggling… struggling is pointless,” the woman said. She stood up straighter and crossed her arms. “Who sent you? How did you find me?”

“What?” Steph asked, still struggling. “What are you talking about? No one sent me.”

“Who are you?” She demanded, voice soft yet firm. 

“Stephanie Brown.” 

The woman continued to analyze every inch of Stephanie. It made her shiver. 

“No one else… knows the tower?”

“I don’t think so,” Steph confirmed. “I honestly just found it by accident. I was traveling through the forest because—”

Stephanie froze. Then she started moving violently, head whipping around, looking at every corner of the room. 

“Shit! My satchel, where’d it go?”

“Hidden,” her captor said, breaking her out of her frenzy. Before Steph could reply, she continued, “Do you want my hair?”

Stephanie stared at her, mouth open and eyebrows raise. 

“Uh, no?”

“Truth.” The woman sounded pleased.

The pair continued to stare at each other, Stephanie with a slack jaw and the other with a calculating gaze. 

“Stephanie Brown. A deal,” she said eventually. 

Steph looked up at her with wide eyes. 

Tucking a ridiculously long strand of hair behind her ear, she asked, “Do you know about the floating lights? At night?”

“You mean stars?” By this point, Stephanie had given up resisting her bonds. She was slumped in her chair, captivated by the strange woman before her. 

The woman shook her head. 

“They move.” Still seeing confusion in Stephanie, she continued, “Once a year. Tomorrow night.”

Stephanie frowned and furrowed her brows for a moment. 

“Oh! You mean the lanterns.”

“Lanterns…” the woman replied as if testing out the word. 

“Yeah, the kingdom sends them off every year. It’s the anniversary of the King’s parents’ assassination. A bit morbid if you ask me, but hey, everyone copes differently.”

Her captor didn’t seem to be listening. Her piercing gaze was now focused out the window. For the first time, Stephanie really observed her. 

She was probably the same height as Stephanie but seemed to have more muscle. The weapons littering a wall of the tower gave away her obvious skill—and the fact she took Steph out so quickly. The warning signs of obvious danger were matched with flawless long hair. It was a deep black, but still managed to appear to shine. Steph had no idea how she didn’t trip over it, considering it reached the ground.

She was gorgeous and deadly, and Steph didn’t know how to deal with that.

“The deal,” the woman said, finally breaking the silence.

“What?”

“Take me to the lanterns. Then I'll return your bag.”

“I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to enter the kingdom right now.”

The woman just stared.

With a sigh, Stephanie relented. “Fine.”

The woman smiled for the first time. She made her way back to Steph and began releasing the straps trapping her to the chair. 

“Sooo, you know I’m Stephanie—call me Steph by the way—what your name?”

Undoing the last bond, she said, “Cassandra.”

“Alrighty, then." Stephanie stood up and rubbed her wrists, red from struggling. 

"Let’s go see some floating lights, Cass.”


	2. count me with the dreamers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> steph voice: is that a gremlin?

Stephanie walked to the window and looked out. Her grappling hook was still attached to the roof, rope dangling down. She gave it a tug to make sure it was still secure. 

“What should I bring?” Cassandra asked from behind her.

Stephanie turned around, expecting to see Cass either at the kitchen pantry or bedroom wardrobe. Instead, she stood frowning at her wall of weapons. Steph was only a little offended to see her satchel slung over Cass’s shoulder, so carelessly on display. 

“Well,” Stephanie replied, walking over to Cass and the impressive display, “I don’t really think you’ll need a battle axe out there, but whatever you like, I guess.”

Cassandra shook her head. 

“I don’t like them,” she said. Cass glanced at Steph from the corner of her eye. “You can take something. If you like.”

“Really?” Steph asked with excitement. “Anything I like? That’s okay?”

There was a slight pause before Cass nodded. 

Stephanie’s eyes scanned across the swords, some familiar others exotic. She let her hands hover near the maces. Eventually, she lifted a short staff off the wall and twirled it in her hands. 

“I haven’t actually been formally trained with anything,” she said right before the staff slipped through her fingers and clattered to the floor. “Maybe I shouldn’t.”

Cass picked up the staff and looked at Stephanie thoughtfully. Steph, in turn, tried not to fidget. 

“Trust yourself,” Cass said. She handed the weapon back to Stephanie before opening a cabinet beside them.

Steph took the staff as well as the attachable strap Cass had just produced from the cabinet. After securing the staff, Stephanie comfortably slipped herself through the strap. 

“Ready to go?” Stephanie asked cheerfully. 

Cass nodded. She walked slowly towards the window, almost hesitating as she kneeled on the windowsill. Her hands gradually reached out. Finally grasping the rope, she turned back to Steph. 

“The lanterns then right back?” She asked.

“Of course. Then I get my bag back, right?”

“Of course,” Cass mimicked before expertly rappelling down the tower. 

She moved so quickly, Stephanie was a little worried she might have fallen. Cass hadn’t, of course. She stood at the base of the tower, bare toes curling in the morning grass. Steph joined, rappelling down with marginally less finesse. 

“Okay, we’re about 60 miles out from the kingdom. If we hustle, we can make it there before tomorrow afternoon.”

Cass was listening, but just barely. She was paying more attention to the grass beneath her feet; it was soft and cold. Dewdrops sparkled in the sunlight. A breeze picked up, lifting her hair into a dance. Cass breathed deeply. 

“It’s beautiful,” she said, about nothing in particular, or perhaps everything specifically. 

Stephanie smiled a little, watching Cass close her eyes and bask in the sun’s rays. 

“You don’t get out much, huh?”

“Never,” Cass confided. “I’m not supposed to leave.”

Steph felt her smile drop. “Why not?”

“It’s… complicated,” Cass said.

Stephanie wasn’t sure how to respond. She desperately wanted to interrogate the girl from the tower but felt a desire to protect her. Deciding to just focus on the task at hand, Steph moved past her companion. 

“We just have to exit this place through those vines over there, then head south for a bit,” she explained. Cass followed silently. 

The trip continued with little words, though Cass could tell Stephanie desperately wanted to ask her something. She chewed her lip and constantly glanced back towards Cass, practically vibrating with ever step she took.

Cass had always dreamed of having someone to talk to, a friend to confide in, but now that someone was here, she felt unsure. One wrong move and Stephanie would fear her forever. Cass personally thought she already should, being attacked on first sight and all. 

She admired Stephanie’s bravery and honesty. Steph was someone she wanted to be friend with. She could do this. 

“My… father,” Cassandra spoke up, startling Steph a few paces in front of her, “he keeps me in the tower for training. Until I am ready to fulfill my role.”

Stephanie paused, looking pensive. 

“Is he going to notice you’re gone?”

“He’s usually not there. He travels off continent a lot. He visited a couple days ago. Won’t be back for a while.”

Steph shifted her weight on her feet. She had so many questions but didn’t want to completely corner Cass.

“It must get lonely.”

Cass nodded. The silence stretched, making Steph more than a little nervous. 

“Why can’t you train outside the tower?” She finally asked. 

“Danger. He says it’s dangerous.”

“For him or for you?”

Cassandra looked down and didn’t respond. Steph scratched the back of her neck. 

“Let’s keep going,” she suggested, giving Cass’s arm a light caress. 

The pair continued through the forest, keeping all conversation to small talk or observations of the woods. Soon, the sun was high in the sky. 

The serenity was broken by angry shouts and nearing horses. Steph pulled Cass in attempt to hide them behind a tree trunk. She wouldn’t budge. Her eyes tracked the oncoming chaos. A young boy ran with an unsheathed sword while three guards pursued. 

“We should help,” Cass said as more palace guards approached.

Before Stephanie could protest, Cass was darting out into the fray. She flipped an advancing guard to his back with great efficiency. Cass then charged at one of the three crowding the boy. After watching in awe as Cass and the boy took down two guards simultaneously, Steph rushed out of her hiding place. She drew the staff from her back and went for a lone guard. 

The staff connected loudly with the man’s torso. He spun, swinging his sword which Stephanie blocked. The two continued to trade blows, but Steph managed to avoid the blade. She delivered a solid _thwack_ to the side of the guard’s head. With the man unconscious on the ground, Stephanie turned to Cass and the boy. Five guards sat tied to a tree. 

“Are you alright?” Steph asked, a little breathless, as she went to place a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. He dodged.

“I don’t need your coddling,” he spit. 

Steph was a little shocked at his harsh tone, but assumed he was just scared. 

“I’m Steph, this is Cass,” she said, gesturing. “What’s your name?”

The boy scoffed. “I don’t associate with petty thieves.” 

“Excuse me?” Steph jerked back.

“Stephanie Brown. Wanted criminal. There are posters of you all over the forest. Clearly, you’re as inattentive as you are incompetent.”

Steph quickly looked towards Cass to gauge her reaction. It wasn’t like she was hiding her unsavory career path, but it had yet to be addressed directly. Cassandra was thoughtfully watching Steph, as if assessing the boy’s judgment. 

“She’s helping me,” Cass said. “And she just helped you.”

Rolling his eyes, the boy said, “I didn’t need that miscreant’s help. I was perfectly capable—” 

“Maybe,” Cass interrupted. “You move well. You’ve trained with Shadows.”

Stephanie had no idea what that meant, but it seemed to have an effect on the boy, his shoulders now tense. 

“With shadows?” Steph asked, eyes flickering between the two.

“Off continent,” Cass offered, her own gaze glued to the child. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“And why were those guards chasing you?” Stephanie added. 

He continued to glare but answered. “You may call me Damian. I entered Gotham to find my father.”

“Guards?” Cassandra pressed. 

Damian crossed his arms and looked away.

“And you were just calling me a miscreant. Fess up, kid,” Steph said, placing her hands on her hips.

“I’m not a child,” Damian snapped at her. “And you are a miscreant, miscreant. I, on the other hand, simply took a calculated risk.”

Neither woman replied, but Damian stood tall under their unwavering stares.

“The fastest way here was via a non-passenger cargo ship,” he said haughtily. “If they really wanted no passengers, they would have checked the hold.” 

“Stowaway. Gotcha,” Steph said in a bored voice. “So, who’s your dad, kiddo?”

“No one of your concern, Brown. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He turned away, but Cass reached out to grab his shoulder. 

“Steph is taking me into Gotham,” she said firmly. 

“And I can travel alone,” he replied, shaking off her hand. 

As he walked off Stephanie shouted over her shoulder, “You’re going the wrong way!”

“I’m going a different way!” 

“You’re literally going deeper into the forest,” Steph yelled. “Just come with us.”

Damian stood in the distance, his back facing the women. They stared at his no-longer-retreating form with amused expressions. After a moment he turned around.

“I have decided,” he said coolly, “that the most efficient way to get navigate Gotham would be with a Gotham native. Someone who knows this lawless forest would also be useful. As Brown is a criminal and a Gothamite, she should prove an… adequate guide.”

Steph rolled her eyes while Cass smiled. They set off again, now a group of three.

***

They only traveled an hour longer when Cass stopped them, arms stretched out to physically block Stephanie and Damian from continuing. Her eyes darted around the treetops, not saying anything.

Worried, Steph glanced at Damian. He was scanning the forest as well, hand reaching for his sword. That’s when she sensed it. They were being watched. Steph shifted into a fighting stance as Damian spoke up.

“We can take them.”

Stephanie was inclined to agree, given how well they handled the guards from earlier, but Cass shook her head; however, before she could say anything, a man emerged from the shrubbery. 

He was dressed in all black armor. A mask covered the lower half of his face while a hood obscured the rest of his features. Katana pointed towards them, he took a step forward. 

Stephanie recognized a marking on the sword’s hilt. The brand of the al Ghul’s. All sense on high alert, Steph was quick to notice more men lurking in the shadows. 

She couldn’t fully process everything that happened next. Cass was shouting and then they all were running, weaving in and out of trees as throwing knives grazed her hair. Stephanie thought back to the maps of the forest. There had to be a place to hide. 

“This way,” she shouted suddenly and made a sharp left. 

Leading them deeper into the forest, but farther from the stalkers, Stephanie lead them to a well. Without hesitation, she launched herself down. 

“Steph!” Cass yelled, hands grasping the edge of the well as she leaned forward. 

“It’s okay,” Stephanie answered, voice distant and reverberating.

Damian stood with his back to Cass and katana drawn. 

“They’ll be on us in seconds,” he said. 

Cass hurled herself down the opening, Damian following with a sigh. 

Stephanie stood at the bottom of the hole. Her hands traced the brick surround them.

“Tapped out well,” she told them. “It was on a couple of old forest maps I found.”

As she continued to stare thoughtfully at the wall, Damian glared at her. 

“Brilliant. We’re trapped at the bottom of a well,” he drawled.

Steph shook her head. 

“No. The maps, some of the newer ones, they showed… secret passages or something. Tunnels people built for smuggling,” she explained. “I’m pretty sure this thing connects to a cave system…”

Stephanie continued to trail her hands across the well’s walls. 

“Here!” She called abruptly. 

She had felt the slightest brush of air. Open space between the bricks. 

Cass went to place her hand next to Steph’s. Feeling the air as well, she took a step back before giving the area a firm kick. Gaps between the stones widened. She gave it another kick. Bricks fell backwards, creating a window into a cave. Cass and Steph exchanged grins. 

“Don’t look so smug,” Damian scolded. “It’s pitch black in there.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes. “We’ll manage.”

The group clambered through the small opening. Despite her assertion, Stephanie had to admit, it was pretty difficult to navigate. She could barely see a foot in front of her. 

“If Brown knows about these passages, no doubt others do as well,” Damian said. “We need to keep moving.”

The girls nodded.

“This place should have a couple exits. I know it connects to Arkham Lake and some rivers,” Steph added. “I guess we split up and look for a way out?”

They slowly spread out to explore, darkness hindering their search. 

“So. Ninja assassins. In Gotham. Far, far away from Demon’s Head Territory,” Steph rambled. “There’s no reason for them to be here, let alone chase us.”

Two voices responded instantly.

“They’re searching for me,” Damian replied.

“My fault,” Cass said simultaneously.

Both Damian and Cass froze. Then, they craned their necks, searching for each other’s eyes in the dark. Stephanie just felt exhausted. 

“I’d say there’s a lot to unpack there, but if we don’t get out of here soon, nothing will really matter,” she said. 

Suddenly, a deafening boom echoed above them. Everyone braced themselves as the surrounding walls shook, minor debris falling from the cave’s ceiling. The sound of falling rocks turned into the rush of water. The cave was flooding. 

“What the hell,” Damian yelled, walking towards the others. 

“I told you this place was connect to a bunch of waterways,” Stephanie panicked in response. “But there’s no way this was an accident.”

They stood huddled together, water cold against their legs. 

“We have to find an exit,” Damian said.

“It’s way too dark,” Stephanie replied weakly. 

A heavy silence filled the cave. 

“I can help,” Cass murmured. “Just don’t be afraid.”

“What?” 

“Don’t be afraid,” Cass said again in a fragile voice. She gave Stephanie’s arm a gentle squeeze before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. 

She began to recite something in a language Steph didn’t recognize. Her forehead creased, and she turned to Damian who simply looked stunned. 

As Cassandra spoke, a bright green light cascaded down her hair. The entire cave was brighter and tinted an unnatural green. With the water now waist-high and still rising, Cass plunged below with open eyes. Steph and Damian followed suit. 

The glow of Cass’s hair illuminated the underwater terrain. Now able to spot the exit tunnel, Steph tugged on Damian’s arm and pointed towards it. Cassandra’s hair began to fade, so the three returned to the surface. 

“Brown found it,” Damian reported. 

Cass looked to Steph who gave an affirming, though admittedly shaky, nod.

“Do we need more light?” 

“No,” Damian answered immediately. He then dived back down.

Stephanie grabbed Cass’s hand to guide her as they joined Damian underwater. 

The longer they swam, the louder Steph’s lungs screamed. Cass tightened her grip on Steph’s hand. She was grateful when the light of dusk broke through the dark water. They propelled through the surface. 

The trio dragged themselves ashore, gasping.

Cass immediately collapsed on her back. She let fresh air fill her lungs as her hands grasped the grass beneath her. In the distance, she could see Gotham. Castle standing tall in the distance. The passage had taken them to a river just outside of the kingdom. Cass’s hazy gaze was captivated by the view, but Steph’s frantic muttering broke Cass out of her trance.

“Oh my god, oh my god,” Stephanie repeated as she sat with her head between her knees.

Cassandra lifted herself slightly, resting her weight on her forearms. Completely focused on Steph, she missed the icy stare Damian had trained on her. 

“You’re hurt,” Cass said, catching Steph’s attention.

She looked up at Cass then back down. There was a jagged cut traveling down her forearm. 

“I’ll be fine. Probably scratched it in the cave or something. I just need to wrap it,” Stephanie responded. 

No one moved as the two women continued to watch each other. The panic that had previously held Stephanie subsided, but her heart continued to race. 

“Are you scared?” Cassandra asked. “Of me?”

Stephanie shook her head. 

“Do you trust me?”

Without hesitation, Steph nodded.

Cass stood up and moved closer to her. She lifted Stephanie’s wounded arm and wrapped her hair around it. She began reciting the same chant as before.

Once more, Cassandra’s hair began to glow green. It started at the roots then traveled down her dark strands; Stephanie’s arm tingled when the hair wrapped around her illuminated. The entire time, Steph watched silently, though she mostly concentrated on Cass’s face. 

Cass finished her chant and the light died out. She gingerly pealed the hair away from Steph’s arm. The wound was gone. Mesmerized, Stephanie brought her fingers to freshly healed skin with a breathy laugh.

“Scared?” Cass asked again.

Snapping her gaze back to Cass, she smiled and said, “Never.”

 _Not with you_ , she thought privately.

Cass smiled in return, standing up to wring out her wet hair. Steph watched, content with the silence that was broken all too soon. 

“You’re Cain’s daughter, aren’t you?” Damian asked coldly. “Ra’s’ weapon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot more action this chapter! It ended up nearly 1k longer than planned lmao. Hope you enjoyed!  
> Thank you for kudos/bookmarks/comments or even just reading.
> 
> Have some actual notes from this chapter’s outline:  
>  _Steph’s like who’s your dad and he’s like_  
>  _Wouldn’t you like to know, weatherboy?_


	3. what once was mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previously: _“You’re Cain’s daughter, aren’t you? Ra’s’ weapon.”_

Cass stood very still with a carefully blank expression. 

“I am not his property,” she said slowly, deliberately—desperate to express herself.

Damian scoffed. He was now standing a good distance from her. Cass could see in his tense shoulders and honed gaze, he was prepared to fight. 

“You were created to serve him,” Damian spit. 

“Hold on,” Stephanie said, standing up and stretching out her arms. “Just to be clear: Ra’s. As in Ra’s al Ghul.”

Damian gave a firm nod. Steph looked towards Cass. 

For a moment, her eyes stayed locked to the ground. Then, she stared directly into Stephanie’s eyes. She still didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. The worry in her stare communicate more than she would with words. 

Steph deflated. She wasn’t sure if it was due to fear or pure exhaustion. At the very least, having answers brought some relief.

Noticing Stephanie’s wavering, Damian spoke again.

“The One Who is All. A weapon literally bred for perfection. Conditioned to be the ultimate killer.”

Stephanie clenched her fists as she looked between the two. As Damian glared daggers, Cass continued to stand still. Her face mostly blank, but sadness in her eyes. 

A beat passed with no one saying anything else. Stephanie realized why Cass wasn’t responding. A part of Cass believed Damian. A part of her thought she was dangerous. Monstrous. 

“Cass can be whatever she wants to be,” Stephanie said firmly. “And all she’s been to me is a friend and a healer.” She gestured to her magical-hair-healed forearm. 

Damian’s eye twitched.

“Congratulations. You’ve been radiated with Lazarus Magic,” he drawled.

Both Steph and Cass flinched. 

“What?” Steph asked, cradling her arm close to her chest.

Stephanie didn’t know much about magic. King Bruce had a ‘No Sorcerers in Gotham’ rule which was mostly enforced. Still, legends of the Magic of the Lazarus managed to reach her.

Before man, there was a pit filled with liquid. Green, but not like grass. Bright, but not like the sun. It was toxic and unnatural. And it held power. So much power. 

A single drop could heal minor wounds. A drink could heal any illness. And a soak? Some say you could live forever. But there were side effects. 

A magic so strong and so incomprehensible was not made for consistent human consumption. Overexposure would lead to madness. Nations decided it was best for humanity to destroy the Lazarus Pit and ban any spell or potion that drew on Lazarus power. And that was years ago—long before Steph was born.

“What?” Stephanie asked again. “Why would you—How could it be Lazarus magic?”

“You saw the hair. Green. Glowing. Unnatural. Not to mention what it did.”

Damian was staring at her, face neutral. Daring her to ask more, to challenge him. Steph took the bait. 

“The pit was destroyed nearly thirty years ago. All magical products that could possible contain a trace of Lazarus magic were recalled and destroyed, too.”

“You’re a fool to think any nation or kingdom didn’t keep some for themselves despite the dangers,” Damian said, rolling his eyes. “No leader would annihilate something so useful.” 

He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, Gotham never researched the Lazarus Pit. Probably due to the magic ban.” 

Stephanie stared, dumbfounded.

“You’re…you’re suggesting international conspiracy!”

“I’m not ‘suggesting’ anything, Brown. I’m telling you what happened. Barley a decade ago the League of Shadows decided to actually eradicate all traces of Lazarus magic.” He frowned and shot a dirty look towards Cass. “Well, most traces.”

Stephanie huffed and threw her hands up in the air. 

“How the hell do you even know any of this?”

Damian looked away, letting silence grow. Cass finally spoke up.

“Lady Talia’s son. Ra’s’ heir.”

Steph thought Damian might have flinched, but he recovered too quickly to tell for sure.

Standing tall and lifting his chin, he said, “Yes. I am Damian al Ghul, Son of Talia, Grandson of Ra’s, Heir to the Demon’s Head.”

That’s when Steph really started to panic. Sure, she had stolen valuable kingdom property, basically snatched two kids, assaulted multiple guards, and all around should already be panicked but—all of the implications were hitting her now. 

“I am literally escorting two people closely associated with the leader of an enemy kingdom into Gotham while carrying stolen Gotham property. Holy shit.” 

“I have every right to be here,” Damian sneered. “My father is a Gotham native. Cain, on the other hand, might not even have a legal identity. Regardless, she will not be joining us for the rest of the journey.” 

Stephanie threw herself back to sit on the ground and brought a hand to her head, massaging her temple. 

“Okay, one: ‘escorting Ra’s al Ghul’s grandkid into Gotham’ does not become less treasonous by throwing in ‘a Gothamite got down and dirty with Talia al Ghul.’ Two: why the hell would Cass not come to Gotham with us.” 

Damian took a deep breath, attempting to keep a more neutral face. 

“Cain is obviously dangerous,” he said slowly. “As for the… ‘treason,’ think in reverse. I have reason to believe my mother is in danger.” 

Despite trying to suppress his emotions, his eyes stayed wide and pleading. For the first time since Steph met him, Damian truly looked like a kid. Vulnerable.

With a sigh, Stephanie let herself collapse completely to the ground and lay down. 

“Okay,” she said. “Okay. We’re gonna go to sleep, get some rest, then tomorrow morning, the three of us are going to the kingdom.”

Damian started to protest, but Stephanie held up her hand, “As soon as we get to Gotham, you can ditch us. But this whole thing started with a promise to Cass, so I’m not leaving her.”

Damian gave her a nod. She turned to Cass who gave a shaky nod as well.

“Cool. Now someone go get some branches to start a fire. I’m cold and wet and tired.”

***

As Stephanie awoke, the sun was just beginning to rise. She could hear the crackling of a fire and smell something cooking. Sitting up and stretching, she looked around. Cass turned fish above the fire as Damian worked through some stretches.

With a yawn, Steph said, “Well, you guys are early risers.”

“Tch. No surprise you aren’t,” Damian responded.

“Hey, sun’s not even completely up yet. This fits the definition of early.”

Steph turned to Cass for support. As Stephanie was about to force her into the conversation, she noticed Cass’s hair falling close to the fire.

“Whoa, watch your hair,” Steph called, reaching out to tuck the strand behind her ear. “Sorry. I just—Sorry,” she quickly added, hand still hovering at the side of Cass’s head.

Cass absorbed the look on Stephanie’s face and smiled. 

“Thank you,” she said. “It gets in the way. Wish it was shorter.”

Drawing her hand back, Steph said, “We could cut it for you.”

Cass shook her head.

“The…Lazarus magic. Goes away if the hair’s cut,” she said, looking down.

Damian finished his stretches and moved closer to the women, staring directly at Cassandra.

“So it really is Lazarus magic?” Steph asked softly.

“Yes,” was the quiet reply. “When I was little, they gave it to me.”

“What do you mean ‘gave it to you?’ And who’s ‘they?’” Damian asked, leaning forward. 

“Not born with this hair. They…David Cain and Ra’s al Ghul, they gave it to me.” 

There was a heavy pause before Steph spoke up.

“So, they, like, cast some spell to infuse your hair with Lazarus magic?”

“No. It wouldn’t be an infusion.” It was Damian who answered. “It’s a transfer of power. That’s why Cain can’t cut her hair. She’s basically a human Lazarus Pit. If the hair is detached, loses its source of magic.”

Cass nodded, so Damian continued.

“And that’s why you never became an official League Assassin. He decided you were better as a personal, secret Lazarus Pit,” he spit.

Cassandra studied the boy. He was tense with clenched fist. Mind going a million miles an hour. He did not know what his grandfather had planned. And that worried him greatly. 

Again, Stephanie ended the somber silence.

“Well, hair that long definitely gets in the way. Pulling it back would help,” Steph said as she stood up and moved to sit behind Cass. She gently ran her fingers through Cass’s hair. “A braid should keep it secure and out of the way.”

“That sounds nice,” Cass replied, smiling though Steph couldn’t see. 

“Alright,” she exclaimed then looked towards Damian. “You wanna learn the ancient art of hair braiding?”

Damian rolled his eyes.

“Come on,” Steph urged. “It’s pretty fun, and there’s a lot of hair. I’m gonna need some help.”

“You can’t do anything on your own, can you, Brown,” he drawled, but he did stand up and make his way to sit next to Stephanie. 

Chatter was kept to a minimum as Steph and Damian twisted Cass’s hair into a beautifully complicated five-strand braid. After tying it off with twine and flowers, Cassandra stood up and spun around.

“What do you think?” Steph asked with a laugh.

“Heavy, but lighter,” Cass said, smiling. “Pretty.”

“We should get moving,” Damian interrupted. 

He had his arms crossed, but Cass could still he was pleased. She smiled at him, and he looked away. Stephanie ruffled his hair.

With Gotham in sight and it still the early morning, they took their time walking through the forest. When they reached the kingdom, it was barely noon. The festival was in full swing. 

The scent of fair foods filled the air. People lined the streets, smiling and laughing. Vendors had set up rows of booths; some sold trinkets while others hosted games. In the distance, Steph could hear live music. Usually avoiding this type of scene, she was mesmerized. Cass tugged on her arm, causing her to spin away from the view.

With determination in her eyes, Cass held out Steph’s satchel. 

“Thank you,” she said, pushing the bag into Stephanie’s arms. 

Steph floundered for a moment, unsure what exactly she was feeling. Gathering herself with a strong inhale, she slipped the bag over her shoulder.

“Yeah. Well, you’re not getting rid of me that easily,” she replied with a smile.

Cass matched her grin.

“So, squirt,” Steph said, turning to Damian. “You off to find your dad, or can you have some fun first?”

Damian’s hesitation was all Cassandra needed. She grabbed both his and Steph’s hands and dragged them further into the chaos. 

They spent the afternoon weaving through crowds and visiting booths. After constant losses, Stephanie declared that all fair games were rigged. This, of course, prompted Damian to insult her and start a challenge. In the end, Cass was the only one to win a single game of ring toss.

As they worked their way forward, the music grew louder. In the center of town, a band played while some people danced and others watched. It was nothing coordinated, just strangers having fun. Cass was captivated. 

Noticing her gleaming stare, Steph asked, “Do you wanna dance?”

Cass frowned, but did not answer. She continued to gaze longingly at the dancers. 

“You don’t have to be good,” Steph said. “It’s okay to be silly and have fun.”

She gave Cass a warm smile but still received a fearful stare in return.

“Damian,” Steph called, reaching out, “Dance with me.”

“What?” He jerked back. “No. Why?”

Steph wiggled her fingers at him. 

“Come on. Don’t be scared, kid. I’ll make sure you look good,” she said with a wink.

He forced out a sigh but couldn’t hide his smile. Grabbing his hand, Steph smirk and pulled him into the crowed. 

Cass watched happily as they twirled around. Stephanie was carefree and laughing at every mistake or misstep she made. Damian, clearly trained in dance, pretended to be annoyed with her. Smiles and warmth infectious, Cass found herself slowly making her way towards them by the second song. 

When Damian saw her approach, he dropped his hold on Steph. Stephanie glanced over her shoulder. As soon as she saw Cass, she turned around completely, grin taking over her face. 

“May I have this dance?” Steph asked, giving a dramatic bow. 

Cass laughed and took her hand, placing the other on Steph’s shoulder. With giggles and out of sync steps, the pair danced. And danced. And danced.

It felt like a lifetime yet also a second. With the sun setting, the crowd began to thin. The music became softer as some musicians packed up to leave. Steph and Cass were left virtually alone, pressed close in the center of town. When the last of the music faded, the remained inches apart, simply smiling at each other.

Off to the side, Damian cleared his throat. 

“Most of the streets have cleared. People are heading to the castle to release the lanterns.” He paused, chewing his lip for a moment. “I will find my father now. Thank you. For your assistance.”

The women smiled at him. He nodded before disappearing down street. 

“To the castle?” Cass asked gently. 

Steph shook her head. 

“Nah, I can get us a better seat.” 

She grabbed Cass’s hand and lead them through the streets. Steph led them to the kingdom’s bay. A local shop was renting out gondolas.

The pair rowed out to the center of the bay in silence. They sat across from each other, boat rocking gently.

Surrounded by darkness, Steph asked, “Are you going back? To the tower, I mean. When all this is over, are you going back to that?”

“I don’t want to,” Cass said in a near whisper. 

Stephanie moved closer. 

“Why did you stay? You’re clearly a badass, you could have ran, right?” 

“It’s all I knew.” Cass gave her a sad smile. “They told stories. The outside world is bad. I was made to protect good. But the bad would do everything to stop me. Kill me. Hurt me worse than...than what already happened.”

Steph reached for her hand, caressing it gently.

“You’re not alone anymore. You don’t have to go back.”

They sat close together, holding each other in the dark. Stephanie began to doze off, her head resting on Cass’s shoulder, when she suddenly shot up. 

The first lantern was released. A single light slowly drifted above the castle. Soon, the sky was flooded with light. 

Every lantern emitted a soft, yellow glow, warming the black sky. The water reflected the scene above. It was like floating through space, being among the stars. Completely surrounded by light. 

Cass turned to Stephanie to thank her once more. The awe on her face as she watched the sky squeezed Cass’s heart. A view more ethereal than any floating light. 

Feeling her gaze, Steph turned and smiled. Cass reached out her hand, softly cupping Steph’s face. She pressed into the touch. 

Suddenly, the boat shook. The weight of a large man landing directly behind Steph caused violet rocking. He grabbed her, holding a knife to her throat. 

“Hello, daughter,” he said. 

The last of the lanterns disappeared from sight.

“It’s time to go home.”

David Cain stood before her, Stephanie struggling in his arms. No longer distracted, Cass could sense multiple Shadows in the surrounding waters. 

Cassandra said nothing, briefly analyzing the distance to shore and number of assailants. Cain could read her calculating gaze.

“You can try and fight. Maybe you could even win—but a single move against us, and I’ll kill her,” he said, pressing the blade into Steph’s skin.

Cass looked him in the eyes.

“If I go with you, you let her go?”

“Yes.”

Cass took in his posture, his stare. He was being truthful.

“Okay.” 

She nodded, and Cain gave a signal. A tranquilizing dart pierced Cass’s neck. As she collapsed, she heard Steph call out her name before receiving a nerve strike and collapsing as well. 

“You,” her father barked, “take this one to shore. Toss her anywhere. She’s a wanted thief. Will rot to death in jail.”

Cass wanted to fight, to struggle. That wasn’t what was supposed to happen. But everything was going hazy, it was even harder to find her voice. 

She let out a strangled sound before everything faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for kudos/comments/bookmarks/subscriptions or even just reading!
> 
> Have a fun note from this chapter’s outline:  
>  _And they’re like okay we let her go TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES HA HA._


	4. in the starlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: brief depiction of child abuse (David Cain’s an asshole, hits Cass towards of the first section)

Cass awoke slowly. She kept her breathing even as she pretended to still be unconscious to assess the situation. 

She felt cold metal wrapped around her wrists and ankles. Where she sat, stone pressed against her back and feet. As the numbness tingling down her limbs dissipated, Cass wiggled her fingers and toes a little. She then subtlety moved her legs, confirming her suspicion that chains secured her to the ground. There was no noise around her, but Cassandra knew she wasn’t alone. Shadows wouldn’t make a sound. 

Opening her eyes, she saw her tower. The sight clenched her heart in a way this prison never had before. Despite everything being the same, the tower seemed so different. So much smaller. So much colder. Maybe something did change.

“Daughter,” a gruff voice called. 

Cass kept her gaze on the ground. A plate smashed against the ground to her left. Shards flew everywhere, some landing near her feet. Cass didn’t react. 

“Ra’s doesn’t react well to hearing his property was stolen,” Cain said before shattering another plate. “Letting other people touch your things can be dangerous.”

Her father walked towards the string instruments along one of the tower walls. He picked up a violin and smashed it over his knee.

“You can understand that, right, Cassandra?”

She glared at him and said, “I’m not his.” 

“Of course,” Cain said as he carelessly walked over to the weapon’s wall and began tossing them violently to the floor. “You’re not his property, you’re my daughter.”

Cain stomped over to Cassandra. He tightly gripped her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes. 

“I love you,” he said, voice still harsh and cold. “I made you strong. I gave you a place to live safely—without any worries. And I only asked for one thing.”

His palm connected with Cass’s face. The slap let out a sharp sound and left a burning sensation on her cheek.

“Obedience,” he yelled in her face. “I gave you everything, but you can’t listen to a single, simple order.”

He stood up and took a deep breath. 

“Clearly, you can’t be trusted to not do something so stupid as jumping out a window. You will be moved somewhere even the sunlight can’t reach.”

***

Stephanie was pacing in her cell. She woke up nearly an hour ago feeling absolutely nauseated.

Cass had been taken. And she couldn’t do anything about it. Ra’s al Ghul had a human Lazarus Pit who was being locked up and abused. And she couldn’t do anything about it. 

She was Stephanie Brown: lowly thief from a nobody family. No matter how hard she worked or how complicated a heist she pulled off, she would always be Stephanie Brown. She knew this. She had for a long time. So why? Why was she still pacing, thinking up ways to escape and get to Cass?

Distracted by plans ranging from faking a pregnancy to chewing off her left arm, Steph didn’t notice the people approaching her cell. 

“Well, Brown, it seems it took less than an hour of solitary confinement to drive you mad.”

Steph froze mid-pace. She slowly turned her head to face the call bars. Damian stood with his back straight, dressed in considerably cleaner clothes than the last time she saw him. Next to him, a guard stood stiffly and looked blankly into the distance. 

She rushed forward, gripping the cell bars, but said nothing.

Damian frowned at her.

“You haven’t seriously lost your mind, have you?” He sighed, “Pathetic as expected.” 

Steph floundered a bit, opening and closing her mouth.

“Cass,” she finally said, “Cass needs me. I’m stuck in here, and she needs me.”

Damian continued to look unimpressed, but he motioned towards the guard. The man stepped forward and unlocked Stephanie’s cell. She stayed perfectly still, not stepping out. She looked at Damian with wide eyes. 

“Well?” He said. “Come on then.”

Still not moving, Steph asked, “What? How?”

Damian rolled his eyes, trying his best to seem annoyed, but a small smile touched his lips. 

“I spoke to my father and we both decided, since you are such an incompetent thief who returned to the Kingdom with the stolen item, there was really no need for you to be imprisoned.”

A beat passed before Steph launched herself at Damian, wrapping him in a tight hug. He did not reciprocate, instead complaining lightly about a low-level thug touching him, but there was no malice in his voice. Steph let him go and placed her hands on his shoulders. 

“I have to go get Cass,” she said seriously. 

“If she’s in danger, I should inform Father.”

Steph shook her head. “There’s not enough time to petition the king asking for a search party. I have to go now.” Steph began dashing down the halls.

“Wait, you idiot! Do you even know where she is?” Damian shouted, chasing after her. 

As they exited the cell block, a guard offered Stephanie her satchel and bowed. She snatched it quickly and kept walking.

“Forest, halfway to Blüd. There’s a tower hidden by some vines. It’s where I found her, it’s where they took her.” 

Storming out of the castle, Stephanie marched towards the Royal Stables. Damian continued to follow, exasperated.

“Just let me talk to Father, and he’ll—” 

“No time, kid,” Stephanie interrupted, stopping in front of the first horse they encountered. “She needs me, and I need her.”

Steph jumped atop the horse and began galloping into the forest. 

She made this journey far too many times now. From the kingdom to the tower, from the tower to the kingdom, and now back. While less than ideal, Steph was grateful she had a solid mental map to the tower. To Cass. Horse running at top speed, she reached the tower far quicker than her original trip. 

“Cass,” Stephanie yelled, leaping down from the horse and rushing to the tower. “CASS!”

She could hear some commotion, but she was too far below the tower window to make out what was going on. Still, it was confirmation that someone was up there. 

Tense with determination, Steph scaled the tower. She came with no weapons, no plans. Just a longing to save a girl she had known only a handful of days. Stephanie could try to convince herself this was about the magic hair or political turmoil, but she knew that was pointless.

Steph didn’t care about Ra’s al Ghul’s human weapon. She cared about Cass. A woman filled with curiosity and kindness. Someone who trusted and believed in Stephanie. The person willing to sacrifice herself for Steph’s safety. 

As soon as Stephanie climbed through the window, a throwing knife hurled towards her face. She ducked then dodged an incoming punch. The tower housed five visible members of the League of Shadows. Steph knew more were lurking around somewhere. 

As much as she wanted to ram her fists into these guys skulls, Stephanie kept on the defensive. Cass said these guys were dangerous. 

“Looks like somebody clawed their way out of the gutter,” Cain sneered from the other side of the room. Steph spared him a quick glance.

Cass was beside him, hands and feet cuffed together and connected to a chain held by her father. 

Distracted by the rage swelling inside her, an assailant landed a firm hit to her stomach. Stephanie stumbled backwards, allowing another to stab her shoulder from behind. She hissed in pain but managed to spin and land a solid kick to the man’s side. 

“Stop,” Cass shouted, struggling against her bonds. 

“No one’s stopping until they let you go,” Steph said, twisting a man’s arm behind his back before tossing him to the floor. 

The assaults did not stop, more enemies just emerged from the shadows. Stephanie was beginning to grow tired but refused to show it. She continued to throw punches and dodge swords. 

Steph confidently exchanged blows with one of the Shadows until she was a moment to slow. She felt a piercing pain in her stomach. She took in a sharp breath. Her attacker pulled back his dripping sword and stepped back. Stephanie’s hands flew straight to her stomach, pressing against cool blood flowing from the wound. As she collapsed to the ground, all the assailants drifted back into the shadows. 

Cain and some of the other Shadows had removed a floor panel, revealing a spiral staircase. They began dragging Cass towards it as she shouted. 

“Please,” she said. “Let me heal her.”

Everyone ignored her and continued their attempted to wrangle her down the stairs. But, even chained up, Cass was strong enough to put up a fight.

“I know the outside,” Cass continued. “You can put me anywhere. I will escape. I want… more now.”

Cassandra headbutted a guard and bit the one that came to restrain her. The others stood motionless, waiting for orders. Cain turned and looked his daughter in the eyes. Cass could tell he was upset, angry, but still the smallest bit worried. Worried Cass was stronger than him. 

“Let me heal her. Then, I'll go,” she said. “No fighting, no escaping. Just let me heal her.”

They continued to stare each other down as Stephanie’s vision began to blur. Cain raised a hand and one of his men released Cassandra’s chains. 

She immediately rushed to Stephanie’s side, dropping to her knees and sliding next to her. Cass didn’t even bother to dodge all the items her father had thrown to the floor.

“It will be okay,” she whispered, cupping Steph’s face. Her skin was pale and clammy, eyes unfocused.

“Run,” Steph replied as she closed her eyes and relaxed into Cass’s touch. “You can get out if you leave me.” 

“They will always chase me,” Cass said. “I won't let you die and then be caught.”

As Cass pet her hair, Stephanie’s hand searched the ground. All around them, swords and knifes had been tossed to the ground.

“You can outrun them,” Stephanie rasped.

Cass gave a small smile.

“I would have to run forever. My hair is Lazarus magic.”

As Cass began to wrap her hair around the stab wound, Stephanie grasped the hilt of a dagger.

“Cass,” Steph called, interrupting her wrapping. Steph put her hand on top of Cass’s, and for a moment they just looked at each other. 

“Thank you,” Steph whispered before taking the dagger to the base of Cass’s neck and slicing off the majority of her hair. 

“Dammit,” Cain cried.

Cass sat still, disappointed in herself for not seeing this coming. She should have noticed Steph’s movements and stopped the blade. She should have been able to heal her.

Steph’s eyes began fluttering shut, and Cass darted to apply pressure to the wound. Her father shouted orders at his men. She could hear yelling and other noises from the base of the tower. 

“Is that…horses?” Steph muttered, barely conscious. 

Sure enough, a unit of Gotham knights began storming up the spiral stairs as well as leaping through the window. Attacks Steph couldn’t quite focus on broke out around them. Cass kept her eyes on Stephanie. 

“Is this her only wound?” A voice asked, coming to sit beside Cass.

“Gash on her left shoulder,” Cass answered as the man began wrapping up Steph’s torso. He then lifted her into his arms.

“Holy shit,” Steph slurred. Pressed up against his chest, she could actually make out who the knight was. “You’re Richard Grayson.” 

He gave her a small smile and said, “Most people call me Dick.”

Cass trailed the pair as Dick carried Stephanie down the spiral stairs. At the base of the stairs, a hole had been blown into a section of the tower. 

Slightly delirious, Steph just said “holy shit,” again.

“Wait,” Steph continued. “How’d ya’ know to come?” 

“Damian told us what was going on.”

“What? And you just believed him?” He shrugged, so Steph added, mostly to herself, “Who the hell is that kid’s father?”

Cass giggled before answering simultaneously with Dick. 

“Bruce Wayne.”

“Right,” Steph said, “this is a fever dream.”

Then, she passed out.

***

When Stephanie woke up, the first thing she noticed was pain. Her body ached all over, and her stomach screamed when she tried to move.

The second thing she noticed was her mom. She was cleaned up and asleep in a chair next to Steph’s bed. 

“Mom…” Stephanie said in a near whisper. “Mom!”

Crystal Brown jolted awake. When she saw Stephanie sitting up, tears swelled in her eyes. She moved to sit on Steph’s bed and wrapped her daughter in a tight hug, pressing kisses to the top of her head. 

“I’m so sorry,” Crystal said. “I am so, so sorry.”

Stephanie gripped her mom just as tight and said, “You didn’t do anything mom. I’m okay.”

They pulled apart a little, still hugging but now looking at each other’s faces. With wet eyes, Crystal spoke again.

“You were missing for nearly three days, and I almost didn’t notice,” she said, sounding disgusted with herself. “You’ve always been out, risking your life to support us while I’ve been…I’ve been in a daze of cheap herbs and fake potions.” 

Stephanie felt herself start crying again. She was about to speak up when her mom raised her hand to stop her.

“I don’t want this,” Crystal rasped. “I want to provide for you, support you. I don’t want to ever see you in a hospital again. I don’t know if you can trust me, but I want to try to be a better mother.”

Crystal broke down into tears and Stephanie hugged her. 

“I know you love me, mama,” she said. “I…I would love for us to be more of a family.”

The held each other, sitting silently on the bed, when someone knocked on the door. Cautiously, Cass entered the room. 

Seeing Steph awake, she immediately rushed to her side. Stephanie brightened. Crystal released her daughter and stood up.

“I’ll go fetch a nurse,” she said, excusing herself from the room. 

As the door closed behind her, Steph and Cass just smiled at each other.

Cass’s hair was no longer the jagged cut from Steph’s sloppy knife work. It was styled into a short and even bob. 

“Hey,” Steph said. “I like your hair.”

“Thanks,” Cass replied, tucking a strand behind her ear. “Shorter.” 

Smiling, Steph patted her bed, inviting Cass to sit down. 

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Cass said as she sat. She grabbed Steph’s hand. “I was worried.”

Stephanie felt herself start to cry again. 

“ _I_ was worried,” she countered. She squeezed Cass’s hand and drew circles with her thumb. “Taken by creepy ninjas and chained up.”

Cass squeezed back.

“Why did you chase me? Why fight at the tower?”

Stephanie brought her free hand to Cass’s face. 

“I can’t imagine a universe where I wouldn’t go after you,” she said softly. “Why wouldn’t you just leave me? Why sacrifice yourself to heal me?”

Cass smiled and said, “No universe where I leave you behind.”

They both laughed, leaning into each other. Eyes closed and foreheads pressed together, Stephanie spoke again. 

“I followed you because you trusted me. I fought for you because you believed in me. I…” Steph took a deep breath. “I love you because you make me believe I’m worth something. And that makes me want to work harder. Be better.”

Cass hummed.

“I gave you my trust, you didn’t break it. I believed in you, you came to save me,” Cass said slowly. “I kept secrets from you and put you in danger, but you stayed with me. You had… faith in me.”

Inches apart, the two women continued to gaze at each other. 

“Can I kiss you?” Steph whispered. 

As soon as the question left her lips, Cass connected them in a kiss. It was short but filled with more meaning than Cass could find the words for. 

Pulling apart, the girls smiled at each other again. Steph rested her head on Cass’s shoulder.

“So,” Steph said, “being a newly liberated individual, do you have a place to stay? I think my mom would let you crash with us for as long as you need.”

Cass hesitated. 

“King Bruce asked me to stay at the castle.”

Steph laughed for a second then looked up at Cass’s calm face.

“Wait, seriously?” She asked, sitting upright. “He found out about a kid raised as a weapon in the woods and was like, ‘hmm I’ve always wanted a daughter.’” 

Cass laughed softly but looked away. Steph grabbed her arm.

“Hey, no, this is really cool. Completely crazy, but really, really cool,” she said, caressing Cass’s arm. 

“He seems nice,” Cass said, looking at her lap. “Damian told him I wasn’t worthless.”

Stephanie laughed again. “That’s probably high praise coming from him.” 

They continued to talk about Cass’s new arrangements as Stephanie grew tired. Eventually, her mother returned with a nurse who assessed Steph. 

She didn’t pay much attention. Her thoughts went back to a daydream she used to have as a child. Princess Steph, either by adoption or the king marrying her mom, would wear a purple gown with a large bell skirt. She would dance with princes and own lots of shoes. 

Steph smiled to herself. For once, she was happy that daydream didn’t come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for keeping up with this story! comments/bookmarks/kudos were greatly appreciated and really made my days.  
> This was supposed to go up yesterday but oops
> 
> A final set of notes from this chapter’s outline:  
>  _And steph is like who the hell is that boy’s father_  
>  Cass and Dick are like “Bruce Wayne”  
> Steph’s like cool I’m gonna pass the fuck out now

**Author's Note:**

> i saw a tangled au for something i don't ship and then imagined steph in eugene's outfit. somehow this happened.


End file.
